Trace-coupling.



2 Sheets-Shoet No. 68|,443. Patented Aug. 27, |90I. A. M. GRAIG.

, TRACE GUPLING.

(Application led Apr. 26, 1901.)

(No Modal.)

My@ mM/g5 No. 68l,443. Patented Aug. 27, |90I.

A. M. CRAIG.

TRACE CUUPLING.

(Application led Apr. 26, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sljeet 2.

(Ro Model.)

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So eted through holes 2a in the linger.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MONROE CRAIG, OF WESTPORT, CANADA.

TRACE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,443, dated August 27, 1901.

Application iiled April 26, 1901.

in the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Couplings, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention has for its object to lengthen Io and shorten a trace by a coupling having one member secured to the hame-tug and the other member to the trace, the latter to slide against the former, and a spring-catch to hold the members at the adjusted position to t 5 suit a proper length for the trace.

My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement, and combination of parts composing the coupling, as hereinafter claimed. Flgure 1 1s an elevation of the exterior face 2o of the trace and hame-tug coupled as in use,

a portion of one thickness of the trace broken away to expose the trace member of the coupling, the tug intact and connected to the hame. Fig. 2 is a like view of the opposite .25 face of Figsl, a portion of the tug-strap broken away to show a portion of the tug member of the coupling and one thickness of the trace broken away to show in elevation one end of the trace member of the coupling.

3o Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of Figs. 1 and 2 intact. Fig. 4t is a cross-section on line .fr Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan of the outer face of the tug member of the 'coupling detached, omitting the spring-catch. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the spring-catch detached.

Fig. 7 is an end'elevation of said catch, a top view of which is seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is .a plan of the inner face of the trace member of the coupling detached. Fig. 9 is a longitudi- .io nal section of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a cross-section of Fig. 8 on line y y, and Fig. 11 is a plan of therinner thickness of the trace to show slots to admit passage of the head of the spring-catch and the slots to receive the 215 slides of the trace member of the coupling.

1 represents a metallic plate or strip or the tug member of the coupling, and it has eX- tending from one end a iinger 2, iiattened on one side, to which the hame-tug strap 3 is rilvlf- T e strap passes through a tug-loop 4. on the hame 5, and the other end of said strap is secured Serial No. 57,534.. (No model.)

to plate 1 by a rivet 6 near the end oppositely to the finger, the strap thereby covering the plate for nearlyits full length to keep it from contact with the horse, and plate 1 has longitudinally parallel V-shaped slideway-slots 7.

10 is the sliding or extension trace member of the coupling, said member being a straight bar, preferably half-oval in cross-section and iiattened at the ends and provided near one end with dovetail slide-lugs 11, which slide in said way-slots 7 and guide the movable member or bar 10 when adjusting the coupling to lengthen or shorten a trace, `and said bar 10 has a plurality of longitudinal indentations 18, each having at one end a resistance-stud 19.

20 is a spring-catch fitting into an aperture 8 near one end of plate 1, and said catch has a flat spring 24, which is secured to said plate by the rivet 6 and is provided with a thumb piece or portion 2l to lift the catch by hand against the resistance of the spring to uncouple. The head of the spring-catch 2O passes through slots 15 of the one thickness 13 of the trace, said slots being to allow the head of the spring-catch to descend into and engage one of the series of indentations 18, whereby the catch will resist the pull of the draft by holding the plate and bar coupled.

The bar 10 is preferably covered by another thickness of leather 17, which is stitched to the other thickness of leather 13 to make the trace complete. Hence bar 10 when in use is not seen.

9 is a tongueless buckle or loop on the free end of plate 1, and the trace for convenience passes through said buckle, which has a passage-way sufciently deep to receive a girthstrap 22 transversely to the trace, and said buckle is provided with a stud 23 to enter a hole in the girth to support the trace.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a trace and hame tug strap of a harness, of a coupling-plate secured to said strap and having longitudinal slideway-slots, a spring-catch carried b v said plate, a coupling-bar secured to the trace and having lugs sliding in said slots and longitudinal indentations engaged L,by saidy catch to hold the plate and bar coupled, substantially as set forth.

2. A trace-coupling, comprising a coup- IOO ling-plate 1, having a finger attachable to a l1arnetug strap 3, by rivets and having longitudinal slideWay-slots 7, a spring-catch litting an aperture in said plate, and a coupling-bar 10, having indentations l5 engaged by said spring-catch, to keep said plate and bar eoupled at an adjusted sliding position, and having lugs 11, sliding in said slots when the catch is released and the bar pulled or pushed to lengthen and shorten a trace, substantially as set forth.

3. A trace extension-coupling consisting of a coupling-plate attaehable to a haine-tug strap and having longitudinal slideWay-slots,

a coupling-bar attachable to a trace and hav- 

